“Jayson Werth didn’t want the attention, so he wouldn’t admit he was paying attention.

He was the constant source of trade rumors a week ago. Heck, a San Diego radio station erroneously reported Werth had been traded to the Padres on Monday.

But at that time, the Phillies were coming off a horrendous road trip and beginning their winning streak. Ruben Amaro Jr. had never closed the door on possibly dealing a player from his major-league roster, saying that if his current players performed better, he wouldn’t have said it.

Of course, Werth and the Phillies took matters into their own hands. Before Werth hit a solo homer last night against Washington, entering the game with the Nationals he was hitting .405 (15 for 37) with eight walks and seven strikeouts in the last 10 games he had started.

“The only way I thought I was going to get traded was if we were out of it,” Werth said Friday. “Maybe I’m way off base.”

Probably not. The Phillies had seriously entertained the idea of trading Werth, even reportedly shopping him to any team with the best offer last week. But as the Phillies began their winning streak and Werth’s bat came around, the possibility of a deal faded by the day.”